Bangkok Airways holds press conference over Samui accident

5 August 2009

At 17.00 hrs, Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, the President of Bangkok Airways, held a press conference about the accident of the airline’s flight PG 266 from Krabi after touchdown veered off the runway and collided with the former control tower during the flight’s captain attempted to land at Samui Airport.

The flight, operated by ATR-72 500 series MSN670 with 70 seats, carried 68 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants. All passengers have been evacuated from the site with four seriously injured passengers sent to the Bangkok Samui Hospital, and two others with minor injuries delivered to the Thai Inter Hospital. The 62 other passengers have been transferred to hotel. Two flight attendants and a pilot were reportedly safe, while the other pilot was decease.

Currently, the airline has dispatched the investigation team from the Department of Aviation to the accident site at Samui Airport.

The airline’s insurance company - Bangkok Insurance, will cover full liability caused by this accident.